2023 Yes https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935123003663?via%3Dihub Martinez-Vilavella, Gerard Europe Epidemiology Study Students Elementary (K-5) Middle/Jr High (6-8) Noise Hearing Cognative function Noise Traffic Children Audition Brain Neuroimaging Road traffic noise in schools was significantly associated with stronger connectivity between the inferior colliculus and a bilateral thalamic region adjacent to the medial geniculate body, and with stronger connectivity between the medial geniculate body and a bilateral brainstem region adjacent to the inferior colliculus. Such a functional connectivity strengthening effect did not extend to the cerebral cortex. The anatomy of the association implicating subcortical relays suggests that prolonged road traffic noise exposure in developing individuals may accelerate maturation in the basic elements of the auditory pathway. Future research is warranted to establish whether such a faster maturation in early pathway levels may ultimately reduce the developing potential in the whole auditory system.